Jemimah
Jemimah was the first of three daughters born to Job after God restored his fortunes, as recorded in the book of Job.
Biography
Jemimah was the firstborn of the three daughters given to Job after God restored his fortunes at the conclusion of his great trial, as recorded in Job 42:14. Her name, meaning "dove" or "little dove" in Hebrew, evokes gentleness, beauty, and peace, qualities that may reflect the atmosphere of healing and restoration that followed Job's suffering. Along with her sisters Keziah ("cinnamon") and Keren-happuch ("horn of antimony"), Jemimah is noted as among the most beautiful women in the entire land. Remarkably, Job granted his daughters an inheritance alongside their brothers (Job 42:15), an unusual provision in the ancient Near Eastern context that underscores the extraordinary character of Job's restored blessing and transformed perspective.
Significance
Jemimah embodies the fruit of restoration that follows faithful endurance through suffering. Her birth after Job's trial represents the divine vindication of a man who refused to curse God despite catastrophic loss, she is, in a profound sense, living evidence of God's faithfulness. The unusual bestowal of inheritance upon Jemimah and her sisters (Job 42:15) anticipates the later Mosaic provision for the daughters of Zelophehad (Numbers 27) and foreshadows the New Testament principle that in Christ there is neither male nor female (Galatians 3:28). Her name, meaning "dove," echoes the symbol of peace and divine favor, making her a fitting emblem of the shalom God restores to those who trust him through the darkest seasons of suffering.
Verse Appearances (1)
Job
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References (TIPNR). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Wikidata contributors (n.d.) Wikidata. Available at: https://www.wikidata.org. [CC0]
- Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]